


“How do I say ‘Will you move in with me?’ in flower?”

by TacosAreTasty33



Series: The One with the Officer and the Florist [6]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Homophobic Language, Major Character Injury, Prompt Fic, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-20 18:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14266683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TacosAreTasty33/pseuds/TacosAreTasty33
Summary: Sometimes it takes a moment where you almost lose it all, your girlfriend, your future, and your home, to make you realize you want to take that next step in your relationship, right now. But will Tucker Gardner prove to be a hurdle our Officer and florist can’t overcome? Or will they get a chance to build a life, in a home that they share, together?Find out over the course of 3 chapters in Part VI of the series: The One with the Officer and the Florist!





	1. "Back and forth, if my heart was a compass you'd be North..."

**Author's Note:**

> After saying ‘I love you”, I thought it would only be a matter of time before Waverly or Nicole bucked up the courage to ask the other to move in. But I wanted to add some more 'oomph' to this next step, so I threw some angst and hurt into it! Warning--the first chapter contains violence and homophobic language. 
> 
> This was written in response to the prompt: Flower Shop AU-“Person A owns a flower shop and Person B comes in, slaps a $20 dollar bill on the counter and says “How do I say ‘Fuck You’ in flower?”
> 
> I found all the flower meanings online at http://thelanguageofflowers.com. The flowers and their meanings will be included at the end of the fic so you can have an idea of what they look like. 
> 
> The chapter titles come from Owl City’s “If My Heart Was a House”! Go give it a listen!
> 
> As always, comments, questions, and feedback are welcome! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the amazing world of Wynonna Earp! Once again, I am just a girl, sitting in front of her computer, writing about the characters she loves.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It was a phone call Waverly had dreaded getting from the beginning of their relationship.
> 
> While she was aware of the dangers of Nicole’s job as an officer of the law, she existed in peaceful denial most of the time. The worst injury the Officer had ever gotten was a hairline fracture on her cheekbone and split lip courtesy of a drunk Rodeo clown, who came at her with a pool stick. The bruising hadn’t faded for a while, but the redhead had been the grumpiest about her split lip. She hadn’t been able to kiss the florist without re-opening the cut for a whole two weeks.
> 
> And that had been the worst of it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear readers and Earpers,
> 
> ClexaCon was a whirlwind of activity and I am exhausted!! It was one of the best weekends of my life! I got to meet some wonderful people and made friends for life :)
> 
> But enough about that!! Without further ado, here comes the first chapter of Part VI!
> 
> Just a warning, there’s homophobic language and some violence ahead. So please don’t read if this will hurt you in any way. That is never my intention when I write. 
> 
> Tucker Gardner makes an appearance in this chapter and has some choice words for our amazing Nicole. I am in no way endorsing these homophobic beliefs or this behavior. The expression of these ideas was a way for me to put into words a shared experience that many of us in the LGBTQ community have faced. By writing these words, I am able to process them, to take their strength away, and ultimately find a way to fight against them. I am a firm believer that love is love and no one deserves to be judged for how they love and who they love. There is nothing wrong, immoral, or unnatural about that. So, screw Tucker and his homophobic words. He is just a small part of this story, and not significant in the grand scheme of things for our lovely ladies, Nicole and Waverly. 
> 
> Please trust that good will come of this! 
> 
> xoxo

** Chapter 1: "Back and forth, if my heart was a compass you'd be North..."**

It was a phone call Waverly had dreaded getting from the beginning of their relationship.

While she was aware of the dangers of Nicole’s job as an officer of the law, she existed in peaceful denial most of the time. The worst injury the Officer had ever gotten was a hairline fracture on her cheekbone and split lip courtesy of a drunk Rodeo clown, who came at her with a pool stick. The bruising hadn’t faded for a while, but the redhead had been the grumpiest about her split lip. She hadn’t been able to kiss the florist without re-opening the cut for a whole two weeks.

And that had been the worst of it.

Nothing too bad ever happened in Purgatory, so it’s not like Nicole would ever be in serious danger. Right?

Wrong.

Waverly’s phone rang at 8 AM Monday morning, while she was doing some inventory. With a huff she stood up, walking to the counter to see who would be calling this early. The brunette glanced down at the screen and her stomach immediately dropped.

It was Sheriff Nedley.

Her blood ran cold as she tried to slow the onslaught of thoughts jumping to the worst-case scenario.

“Sheriff?” Waverly croaked, answering the phone. She took a deep breath in through her nose, exhaling out through her mouth in an attempt to stay calm, just like her yoga instructor had taught her.

“Waverly. Haught asked me to call you. Don’t worry, she’s going to be fine. But you should come down to the hospital right away.”

Waverly gasped, feeling felt the world start to tilt. She quickly shut her eyes, fighting to remain conscious and standing.

_Nicole had asked Nedley to call her. Nicole was in the hospital. Nicole was hurt._

The Sheriff had said not to worry. But his reassurances did little to calm her racing heart, to stop her over-active imagination. Letting out a shaky breath, Waverly choked out, “Thank you, Sheriff. I’ll…I’ll be there soon." 

The florist ended the call, staring numbly down at the phone in her hands.

Her wallpaper was still the picture Nicole had taken of them at the fair on their first date. She studied the image through tear-filled eyes. Nicole looked so happy, so carefree.

_So alive_.

Biting her lip to keep her frightened sobs at bay, Waverly pressed the lock button, plunging the screen into darkness. She quickly pocketed the device.

Her inventory long forgotten, the florist grabbed her jacket and purse, barely remembering to lock up the shop on her way out. The only thing she could think about right now was Nicole, and getting to the hospital as fast as possible.

She hurriedly got into her car and peeled out of the parking. Behind the wheel of her Jeep, she watched the buildings pass her by, and couldn’t help but worry about what she would find when she arrived.

\--

It had been an early morning for Nicole.

Nedley had asked her to get in a few hours before her shift. She was covering for another deputy, Lonnie, who had come down with something awful. Being the rookie, she had very little choice in the matter, but knew the overtime would be a nice chunk of change.

However, no amount of money in the world made leaving the comfort of her bed at 4:30 AM feel worth it. She had reluctantly left the warmth provided by her girlfriend, wishing she could spend just five more minutes nuzzled up against her. 

Somehow she managed to leave the house on time, pressing a gentle kiss to the Waverly’s forehead before departing, fortunately without waking up the sleeping florist.

So far, it had been a quiet patrol, making the additional shift easy. Nicole rolled down the empty streets, headlights breaking up the pre-dawn darkness.

But at 7 AM, the peaceful morning was shattered by a call over the radio.

‘ _Attention all units, we have a 10-24 at Pussy Willows Strip Club. Unconfirmed shots fired.’_

Adrenaline coursed through the Officer. Her shaky hand picked up the receiver, holding down the button on the side to respond.

“This is Officer Haught. 10-4, dispatch, I am responding and en route.”

The ancient radio crackled, static once again broken up by a voice.

“Haught, be careful on this one. Back up is 10 minutes behind you. Don’t do anything silly, kiddo,” came the voice of Barbara, the senior dispatcher. The older woman had a soft spot for Nicole, which the redhead may have taken advantage of a time or two, so she could get off early to spend time with her girlfriend.

“Roger that, Barbara. I’ll see you in a bit, and don’t let the boys finish off all the coffee.”

The older woman’s laughter echoed inside the redhead’s cruiser, as the Officer popped a U-turn and drove towards the edge of town.

The entire drive across town, Nicole tried to keep her nerves in check. 

Her palms had begun to sweat, causing them to slip and slide over the wheel. Her left leg bounced up and down as drove. She was totally _nervous_.

But despite her anxieties, she couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement as well. This was her first _real_ call. This wasn’t some guy she had to pick up from the bar and throw in the drunk tank. This wasn’t some kind of adolescent mischief, like cattle tipping, graffiti, or underage smoking. This was a 10-24, Person Using a Firearm. With reported shots fired.

_Oh yeah, but oh boy._

\--

_Pussy Willows_ sat on the outskirts of town, basically isolated at the end of a gravel road. The nearest shop or house was over a mile away.

Nicole pulled up to the scene and gave it a quick scan, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. There was a single car in the parking lot and the lights were on inside.

From what she could see, nobody was outside brandishing a weapon.

_Yet_.

Nicole hopped back on the radio, radioing in her location and time of arrival. Dispatch said backup was now six minutes out, giving her just enough time to sit in the warmth of her car while she waited for them to arrive.

But a moment later, she saw the front door of the building open. Someone crept out, holding a shotgun loosely at their side, sticking to the shadows.

Nicole’s first instinct was to get out of the car and draw her weapon.

But before she did so, a little voice in the back of her head reminded her of a promise she had made to a certain florist. So the Officer reached over and grabbed her bulletproof vest from the passenger seat.

Waverly had made the Officer promise, within their first week of dating, that she would put on her vest if she ever answered a risky call. The brunette would be _furious_ if she forgot, so the Officer diligently strapped it on. _Hope you’re happy, baby._

Finally suited up, she stepped out of the car, staying behind the open driver’s side door. Her department-issued Glock felt heavy in her hands as she kept it at eye-level, pointed at the person still obscured by the overhang of the building.

“I’m going to have to ask you to set down the gun and put your hands on your head!” Nicole yelled, keeping her eyes trained on the figure.

They person took a few steps forward, features coming into focus in the early morning light. Nicole sucked in a breath, recognizing them immediately.

_Tucker Gardner._  

This had just gotten considerably worse.

Tucker Gardner was scum of the Earth, in Nicole’s humble opinion. She had arrested him numerous times on multiple counts of stalking and harassment, even managed to book him on a child pornography charge once for taking a video up cheerleader’s skirts. But every single goddamn time, his super rich family would bail him out, and the redhead could do nothing about it.

And beyond his illegal behavior, he had an extremely creepy obsession with Waverly.

Nicole would see him lurking in the places her and the florist spent time together. The coffee shop, the park, _everywhere_. He would show up at the Homestead, unannounced and uninvited. He would stop by _Shorty’s_ twice a month, begging Waverly to dump Nicole and date him instead. He said she had to give him a chance to show her what she was missing, because she was just confused and didn’t really want to be dating a woman. Because that would be wrong.

_Pshhh, as if._

But it had gotten to the point where Nicole had considered going to Nedley, to see if there was anything she could do to get him to _stop_. But she existed in patriarchal-bullshit land, and until he actually threatened Waverly or Nicole verbally or physically, they didn’t stand a chance against the Gardner fortune or influence.

The cocking of a shotgun shook the Officer out of her thoughts. Tucker had raised the barrel of the gun and pointed it right at Nicole, nothing but contempt and disgust in his eyes. _So much for a lack of threatening behavior._

The redhead tightened her grip on the Glock. “Seriously, Tucker. I’m not messing around. Put. Down. The. Gun.”

With a condescending shake of his head, Tucker sneered, “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Officer Haught.”

Taking a few more steps forward, he continued, “I’m actually very pleased that you could join me this morning…see I’ve got a bone to pick with you. That’s why I set this whole thing up, so you and I could have a little alone time.”

Nicole’s eyes narrowed, a pit forming in her stomach. _He set this up, why?_

As if he read her mind, Tucker answered her unspoken question. “I brought you here because you have corrupted my poor, sweet Waverly. She used to be so…wholesome. Pure. But then you showed up in town and seduced her with your sinful ways. You go against what is natural, what is right. So you’ve become a problem for me. A _disease_ , I need to eradicate. And then once you’re out of the picture, Waverly and I can finally be together.”

Nicole saw red. She was moving from behind the car door without thinking, keeping her gun pointed at the boy.

“Watch your mouth, Tucker!” the Officer seethed, fury dancing in her brown eyes. _I really wish I could shoot this creepy, homophobic asshole right now_.

“You know I’m right, Officer Haught. What you do…it’s…unnatural. God created men to be with women, anything else is simply an abomination. _You’re an abomination_! I need to get Waverly out from under your influence. You’re…tainting her,” the wiry boy spat, revulsion coloring his words.

“Don’t you dare say another word about Waverly, or so help me I will-“

Tucker cut her off. “You’ll what, shoot me?”

Nicole’s jaw clenched, nostrils flaring. She knew he was trying to get a reaction out of her. He was trying to provoke her.

“No, Tucker. I won’t do that. You’re ass belongs in jail, and that’s where I’m going to put you. ”

He scoffed, clearly disappointed. “Pathetic. You’re unwilling to do what is necessary, so you don’t deserve her. Oh, Officer Haught…you just don’t have what it takes to be with Waverly…”

Eyes narrowed in confusion, the redhead couldn’t help the growing dread coursing through her.

“But I do!” Tucker sing-songed, eyes locked on the redhead.

And then he was moving, before Nicole could even transfer her finger to the trigger of her own gun. 

It all happened so fast. The sinewy boy fired a single shot at the Officer, the impact sending her flying backwards.

Immediately, the redhead felt a burning sensation in her shoulder. And then there was pain. A lot of pain.

Nicole hit the snow and slid across it, landing in a heap a few feet from where she had been standing. The fall caused her head to snap back, smacking against the frozen ground beneath her. Nicole lay there, blinking her eyes, willing her body to stop screaming at her. She carefully took inventory of her body. Everything still felt attached. But her head and shoulder hurt like a motherfucker.

_Yup, definitely got a little shot._

The redhead drew in a pained breath, willing the spots to clear out of her vision. She tried to sit up, hands fisting in the snow beneath her, but was shoved down to the ground by a kick to her injured shoulder, causing a fresh wave of pain to course through her.

Nicole’s subsequent scream reverberated through the air.

Tucker stood above her, booted foot holding her down by her injured shoulder. His eyes were full of loathing, but he grinned evilly at the Officer, sickeningly satisfied with his actions.

“I’m rather disappointed in you, Nicole. A bulletproof vest, really? You couldn’t have made this easier on me?”

The redhead tried to focus on Tucker’s words. But the pain was making it hard to concentrate. Her shoulder was on fire, made a thousand times worse by the weight of Tucker’s boot.

In her agonized haze, she only had one thought.

_Get your gun._

She moved her un-injured arm around, fingers reaching for the weapon that had come free when she had hit the ground.

“Nuh-uh-uh,” Tucker tsked, using his free leg to kick Nicole’s gun away.

He added more pressure to Nicole’s shoulder, eliciting another scream from the Officer. “Stop trying to fight back, Officer Haught. You’ve lost. And now, Waverly’s mine." 

Despite the severity of the situation, the redhead couldn’t contain her snort of disbelief at the absurdity of the boy’s rationale.

“Waverly will never be yours, Tucker. Even if you hurt me or…kill me, she will never want you,” Nicole managed, feeling a little rush of satisfaction as she saw her words hit home.

Tucker’s eyes had narrowed dangerously as he shook with unsuppressed anger. In an effort to regain control of the situation, he raised the shotgun once more, and pointed it right at the Officer’s head. 

“You shouldn’t say things like that, Officer Haught. Because you know what happens to liars, don’t you? Liars get _punished_ ,” Tucker hissed.

Nicole’s eyes widened in fear, brown eyes staring down the barrel of the shotgun.

“Tucker wait…you don’t want to do this,” the Officer begged, trying to diffuse the situation, knowing she should have just kept her big mouth shut.

After a few tense moments, his shoulders relaxed and moved the shotgun away from her head.

She let out a thankful breath. But her relief was short lived as she watched Tucker lower the gun, pointing it at her chest. And just like that, the fear was back.

Nicole knew her bulletproof vest could take a lot, even a point-blank shot from a gun like that. But her vest wasn’t actually bullet _proof_ , more like bullet _resistant_. So not only would a shot from a gun of this size and caliber hurt like bitch, it would also cause some serious medical problems. Thinking back on her first aid training, Nicole knew it would probably break a lot of stuff, cause some internal bleeding, bruise some organs. She would need medical attention ASAP or she was a goner.

Her inner monologue was interrupted by the second gunshot of the morning. The bullet hit Nicole square in the middle of her vest, the shock of it instantly knocking the wind out of her.

If Nicole thought getting shot in the shoulder had hurt, getting shot in the chest was a hell of a lot worse. The pain she had been getting used to was no longer concentrated in her shoulder. Now, it radiated throughout her entire body.

She couldn’t breathe. Her vision was blurring. Her head was pounding. Her ears were ringing. And she felt so tired, so damn tired. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and drift off into agonizing oblivion.

It was then, when she thought it was all coming to an end, that she thought of Waverly. Her sweet, spirited girlfriend. The love of her life.

She was probably in the flower shop by now, getting in early to do some inventory. Nicole hadn’t told her she loved her last night, thinking she would have another chance to do so today. She hadn’t asked Waverly to fill the empty dresser drawers and closet space with her stuff. She hadn’t mentioned the small, velvet box sitting at the bottom of her sock drawer. She hadn’t done a lot of things, things she thought she had time for.

But now, as the redhead lay there realizing she was probably going to die, she wished like hell she had time to do it all. She just wished for more time with Waverly.

Nicole was brought out of her thoughts by the boy looming over her. The Officer could see Tucker’s mouth moving, but couldn’t make out the words. She was sure he was spouting more nonsense, so she was sort of glad she was unable to focus.

Then, a third shot rang out, and Tucker was no longer standing above her. The pressure on her shoulder was suddenly gone, but it did nothing to alleviate her pain.

Nicole lay there, dazed and confused, until the image of Sheriff Nedley swam before her eyes. The redhead tried to wheeze out a greeting, but a coughing fit wracked her body. Pain bloomed in her chest and a metallic taste filled her mouth, as something sticky coated her lips. She lifted her left hand to wipe at it, smearing it across her face. Her hand came away covered in streaks of wet, bright red liquid.

_That’s blood. Shit, I’m coughing up blood._

“Sir,” Nicole rasped, trying to get the older man’s attention. He was kneeling by her side, but was focused on barking orders into his radio. She heard the words ‘officer down’, ‘ambulance’, and ‘gunshot’.

She tried again, words rattling out. “Sheriff…Ned-”

“Haught, stop talking. I’m going to put some pressure on that shoulder of yours. Just try to focus on staying awake for me. The bus is less than a minute out,” Nedley assured, fulfilling his promise and putting his hand over the wound. As he pressed down, Nicole clenched her teeth, trying not to scream. 

“Please…Sir. There’s something-” Nicole broke off, face going ashen, shivers taking over her body, “-I need you to do.”

“Anything, Haught,” he replied gruffly, sending up a prayer that the ambulance would get there faster.

Nicole’s words were raspy, tears leaking out from behind her closed eyes. “Call…Waverly…and tell her…” the Officer’s voice trailed off as she finally succumbed to unconsciousness, leaving the Sheriff unsure what exactly the message was.

It was then that the ambulance pulled up, lights flashing, sirens blaring.

\--

Waverly dashed through the automatic doors of the Emergency Room entrance, running up to the front desk.

Out of breath, the florist rushed out, “I’m here for Nicole, I mean Officer Haught. Where is she?!”

Before the nurse could respond, a brusque voice interrupted.

“Waverly.”

Turning on her heel, Waverly’s eyes fell on Sheriff Nedley, still in uniform, looking exhausted and haggard.

The brunette blinked back tears as she strode up to the man, coming to stop barely a foot away from him. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the maroon stains littering the Sheriff’s uniform. 

Realization struck her swiftly, like a sucker punch to the gut.

_He’s covered in Nicole’s blood._

A strangled sob escaped her lips, hand coming up to cover her mouth. And then her legs were collapsing, unable to hold her up any longer. But Nedley was quick to engulf her in a hug, keeping her upright. He clutched the brunette tightly, whispering assurances as he slowly rocked her. 

“She’s going to be okay. Don’t worry, Waverly. We got there in time. She’s going to be okay.”

\--

Waverly didn’t know how long they stayed in the hallway.

After a few minutes, Nedley had moved them to some chairs in the corner, but refused to release his hold on her. He hugged her as she cried and worried. 

Once she had quieted, he had explained the extent of Nicole’s injuries, telling her how lucky the Officer had been to be wearing her vest.

She had a few broken ribs, some bruised internal organs, a concussion, and a gunshot wound to the right shoulder. Nicole hadn’t been bleeding internally, thankfully, meaning she hadn’t needed intrusive abdominal surgery.

But unfortunately, the shot to her shoulder had done extensive damage, which did require surgery. The shot had nicked the axillary artery, and had broken everything in her shoulder, except her scapula. 

Waverly kept her eyes shut, leaning into the Sheriff’s embrace. Now that she was caught up, all she wanted was to know if Nicole was okay. She willed the doors to open, to reveal a doctor with an update.

After what felt like hours, a voice echoed inside the waiting room.

“Nicole Haught?”

Waverly and the Sheriff immediately stood up from the chairs, heads turning to see a middle-aged, female doctor walking towards them. 

“We’re here for Nicole Haught,” Nedley replied, arm keeping Waverly close to him.

With a nod, the doctor said, “My name is Dr. April Kepner. Ms. Haught is going to be fine. My colleague Dr. Torres and I went in and fixed up her shoulder. She should gain full mobility back with proper recovery and physical therapy. We are still monitoring her condition, but she has been moved to-”

“Where is she? Can I see her?” Waverly interrupted, relief coursing through her at the doctor’s words.

Nodding, Dr. Kepner replied, “Yes. I can take you to her right now, if you’d like.” 

Nedley gave the brunette a light push, sending her towards the doctor. “Go see your girl, Waverly. I’ll come back later to speak with her. Tell her…tell her I’m glad she’s okay.”

Offering the Sheriff a small smile in gratitude, the brunette followed the retreating form of the doctor down the hall, eager to see her girlfriend.

Arriving in front of room 33, Dr. Kepner gave her one final nod and walked away, leaving the florist alone. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself, Waverly gently opened the door and peeked her head around the corner.

The sight before her brought on a fresh wave of tears.

Nicole, _her Nicole_ , was hooked up to a bunch of machines. She looked deathly pale, lying against the white sheets, body dressed in a blue hospital gown. Her eyes were closed, but her forehead was creased, as if she were in pain.

Waverly slowly entered the room, shutting the door behind her with a loud click. The sound seemed to alert the Officer to her presence.

Brown eyes shot open and flicked towards the door.

\--End Chapter 1--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the sort of cliffhanger! 
> 
> This chapter really helped me personally work out some of my own anger and hurt over some homophobic ideas and language I have heard. I hope it didn’t bring up any painful memories for anyone or hurt any of you in any way. 
> 
> I liked the idea of a reality check when it comes to Nicole’s job. Because at the end of the day she is a cop, and they go where the danger is!
> 
> Chapter 2 will be Nicole and Waverly unpacking everything that happened together, full of cute moments and healing ones as well. 
> 
> That will be up on Wednesday!
> 
> Until then, thanks for reading!
> 
> xoxo


	2. “Risk it all cause I’ll catch you if you fall…”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Pain-filled brown eyes locked tear-filled hazel ones.
> 
> After a few moments, the silent staring contest was broken by Nicole. “Hey, Waves,” she rasped, voice hoarse after hours of disuse. The Officer tilted her head and nodded at the chair beside her bed, beckoning the brunette forward.
> 
> It was all the invitation Waverly needed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Earpers!
> 
> So chapter 1 was rough, and this one feels kinda rough too. There are some cute, fluffy moments between our Officer and florist, but reliving the morning brings up a lot of pain for both of them. 
> 
> I would say that the same warnings I had for chapter 1 work here as well. We hear what Tucker said again, and this time we see the impact it had on Nicole. But we also get Waverly’s wonderful reaction, where she reassures the Officer of her worth. 
> 
> This chapter was super emotional to write, so I am super thankful to the Spotify playlist that compiled every Sleeping at Last song, because it really got me through this one!
> 
> I hope you enjoy (or at least read and not hate!) this next installment! Even though there are no flowers or the ‘moving in’ conversation just yet, it’s coming I promise :)

** Chapter 2: “Risk it all cause I’ll catch you if you fall…” **

Pain-filled brown eyes locked onto tear-filled hazel ones.

After a few moments, the silent staring contest was broken by Nicole. “Hey, Waves,” she rasped, voice hoarse after hours of disuse. The Officer tilted her head and nodded at the chair beside her bed, beckoning the brunette forward. 

It was all the invitation Waverly needed.

She approached the bed on shaky legs, keeping her arms wrapped around herself, eyes never leaving Nicole’s.

The brunette collapsed in a heap into the uncomfortable plastic chair placed at the Officer’s bedside. Her watery eyes darted between her girlfriend’s brown ones, as she was unwilling to look away from her for even a moment, worried that if she did, Nicole might just disappear. 

The florist slowly unwound her arms and reached out to grip onto the woman in front of her, hands landing on Nicole’s forearm. Waverly gently began to trace patterns on the exposed skin, free from tubes and IVs, seeking comfort from the mindless motion. The feeling of warm skin beneath her fingertips helped to ground her, to remind her that Nicole was okay. That she was _alive_. 

The comfort of feeling Nicole with her own two hands, of seeing her with her own two eyes, gave Waverly the push she needed to finally take inventory of the sight before her.

Her hazel eyes wandered over her bed-ridden girlfriend. She saw Nicole's right arm and shoulder trapped in a sling, wrapped in gauze, a telltale red stain seeping through the material. She saw wires and tubes sticking out of her hands, arms, and hospital gown, keeping track of Nicole’s heart rate and blood pressure, some giving her fluids, others antibiotics. Her path finished once she returned to the Officer’s face. Waverly noticed the redhead had dark circles under her chocolate-brown eyes, that she looked beyond exhausted.

But despite all of this, Nicole had an almost peaceful expression on her face. She was looking back at the florist, gaze full of awe, gratitude, and love.

Using one hand brush away the tears that had escaped her eyes, Waverly kept the other one gripping firmly onto the Officer’s arm, unwilling to break the physical contact.

Once she had wiped away the evidence of her fear, of her grief, she flashed the redhead a small, watery smile before grabbing onto Nicole’s hand with her own, anchoring her to the woman in front of her.

“Hey, you,” the florist whispered, voice breaking.

Nicole offered a pained grimace in reply, flipping over her hand to tangle their fingers together. “Waves, I-”

But Waverly interrupted the Officer with a squeeze of her hand and a slight shake of her head. The brunette wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear what the redhead had to say just yet. And she had things to say first.

She had spent the entire drive to the hospital trying to figure out what to say to Nicole. Waverly couldn’t put into words the bone-chilling fear she had felt, how utterly terrified she had been to get that call. She knew she couldn’t ask the Officer to quit, stay out of harms way, or sit behind a desk, because she would never try to change who Nicole was. She was a protector, always running headlong into danger, trying to keep everyone safe, her own well-being be damned. It was one of the things Waverly loved most, and admired most, about the redhead.

But that didn’t mean she was always going to be okay with it when it landed Nicole in the hospital, when it put her on death’s door.

“Baby, let me just say something first. Before you try to explain why you did what you did, or how you ended up here, okay?”

The Officer opened and closed her mouth only once, before releasing a long breath and giving Waverly an almost imperceptible nod, silently acquiescing. The ghost of a smile fleetingly appeared on the brunette’s face in response, before disappearing just as quickly.

Her eyes drifted away from Nicole’s understanding gaze, moving down to look their clasped hands as she began to speak. “Do you have any idea how scared I was today?” Waverly whispered, voice shaking. “I get a call from Nedley, telling me that you were in the hospital. No details, no information. Nothing about what happened or how badly you were hurt. He just told me to get down here right away.”

Fresh tears began to stream down Waverly’s face, but this time she made no effort to wipe them away. “And I get here, and he tells me you were... _shot_! _Twice!_ God Nicole…I don’t want to be mad at you. Especially for doing your job. But I can’t help it… you…you could have died today!” the florist finished harshly, voice rising.

The Officer shrank back at every word thrown at her. She knew she had put her girlfriend through hell, it had been all she could think about since waking up from surgery. So she knew, deep down, that she deserved this outpouring of rage.

For a few moments, all that could be heard in the hospital room were the beeping of the machines and the angry huffs coming from the florist. But as quick as it came, Waverly felt her anger dissipate. Now all she felt was an overwhelming sadness at the thought of almost losing Nicole. Her shoulders slumped under the weight of the thought, eyes sliding closed. When she spoke again, her was voice much softer, but thick with emotion.

“God, baby, don’t you realize that I would _die_ if anything happened to you? That I wouldn’t be able to survive without you? You are my entire world, Nicole Haught. You are my _home_ , and I almost lost you…” Waverly sniffled, lowering her head to the bed. Her forehead landed against Nicole’s blanket-covered hip, honey brown hair fanning out, as sobs began to wrack her small frame.

Nicole accepted the contact, squeezing Waverly’s hand firmly with her own. The Officer wanted nothing more than to be able to pull the brunette into her arms. She wanted to hold her tightly, whispering apologies in her ear, soothingly rubbing circles onto her back. She wished she could take away all of the florist’s pain, knowing she was the one who had caused it. But in her injured state, all she could manage was holding onto Waverly’s hand.

She desperately hoped it was enough.

Silent tears streamed down the Officer’s face, while Waverly continued to weep. They both cried for what almost happened, for what they almost lost, for the pain and the fear they had felt.

The two didn’t know how long they sat there, holding onto to each other. But eventually, both the Officer and the florist seemed cried out. As Waverly’s sobs quieted, she slowly raised her head, leaving a wet patch on the sheets from her tears.

Her hazel eyes flitted up towards her girlfriend. Seeing moisture on the redhead’s cheeks, she gently reached out with her free hand to wipe away what was left of Nicole’s tears. 

Drying her own with the sleeve of her sweater, Waverly now felt like she was ready to hear what Nicole had to say, to hear her explain what had happened that morning.

“Whew, okay, I think I’m done. Now, what were you trying to say before, baby?”

Nicole let out a shaky breath at the comment before nodding at the brunette, silently acknowledging that it was her turn to talk.

But she wanted to be closer to Waverly before jumping into anything, knowing it wouldn’t be easy to hear. So, the redhead tried to sit up. But the pain that blossomed instantly in her chest at the movement caused her to fall back on the bed, grimacing, an exasperated groan escaping her lips.

Eyes squeezed tightly shut, Nicole focused on her breathing, willing the pain to subside. The redhead briefly wondered if her painkillers were even working, because she had been in pain from the moment she had woken up.

After a few agonizing moments, she began to feel a bit better as the pain receded, letting her relax. Blinking her eyes open, Nicole turned her head and looked over at the brunette. She saw Waverly’s brows knitted in concern, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.

The Officer shot a hopefully reassuring half-smile at the florist. “Sorry baby, guess I’m stuck laying this far away from you.”

Waverly released her hold on her bottom lip, eyes crinkling at the comment. With a squeeze of the Nicole’s hand, the brunette wordlessly waited for her to continue. 

Unable to take a deep breath without any pain, the Officer settled for a few shallow inhales and exhales in an attempt to prepare her for the impending conversation. But before getting into, she had something to say first. An apology that deserved to be heard.

“Waverly, I…I am so so so sorry that I scared you. I never wanted to make you feel like this and I can’t-” Nicole apologized, voice breaking, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

“Hey, shhh,” Waverly replied, fingers tightening their hold on the Officer’s hand. “This is not your fault, you hear me, Nicole? I don’t want to hear another ‘sorry’ from you, okay?”

With a small bob of her head, the redhead complied for now. She knew she wasn’t done apologizing for what she had put Waverly through today, but for the moment, she decided to move onto the more difficult stuff. 

“Fine, but don’t think I’m finished. I will be making this up to you, I promise,” Nicole said, getting an amused half-smile from the florist in response. After a beat, the redhead tentatively asked, “So, umm, did the Sheriff tell you anything about today?”

Shaking her head, Waverly searched the Officer’s face, looking for the cause of her hesitation. “No…but he did tell me about your injuries. Then he said to ask you about everything else. Baby, you don’t have to tell me if it’s-”

“Waves, you need to hear this,” the redhead interjected firmly.

The florist’s brow wrinkled in confusion at the tone and a small frown made it’s way onto her face. But she remained silent, waiting for the Officer to explain. 

Nicole let out a long breath before continuing. “I…I need you to let me get through this, to tell you everything, before you react or freak out, okay?”

Waverly’s frown deepened but she gave Nicole an encouraging nod, tightly gripping onto her hand at the same time.

“So I got called out to _Pussy Willows_ around 0700. There were reports of someone using a firearm, potential shots fired. I was the closest unit, so I got there first. Backup was only a few minutes out, so I wasn’t too worried, you know? I was just going to sit in my cruiser and wait it out. But then…” Nicole broke off, closing her eyes as images of Tucker filled her mind. The expression on her face morphed into one of anguish, of distress.

The sight of the redhead struggling so deeply with whatever had happened that morning tortured Waverly. The brunette wished she could help in some way. But all she could do was sit there and listen. So she gently lifted the Officer’s hand from the bed, gripping it between her own. The florist placed a soft kiss on her knuckles, in an offer of support, of strength.

Shooting her girlfriend a grateful smile, Nicole stayed her course, returning to the story. “Then a man stepped out of the front door, holding a shot gun. I was about to get out of the car, when I remembered the promise I made you.”

Waverly audibly sighed in relief, lips shakily pressing another kiss to the back of Nicole’s hand. The florist silently sent up a million thanks to whoever was up there that Nicole had put her vest on. It had saved her life.

“So I quickly put on my vest, and got out of the cruiser, gun trained on him. And then he stepped out of the shadows…and it was Tucker Gardner.”

Waverly tensed at the admission, grip tightening on the Officer’s hand, angry exhale leaving her parted lips.

Concerned about the brunette’s reaction, Nicole tentatively said, “Baby, I can stop. We, uh, we don’t have to do this right now.”

The florist simply shook her head, eyes boring into the redhead’s. “But we do, Nicole. I need to hear this. Especially knowing that Tucker was the one who did this to you…just keep going, please.”

“Alright,” she acquiesced. Narrowing her eyes, Nicole added the caveat, “but you tell me to stop at any point and I will, okay?” 

“Okay,” Waverly replied, lips quirking into a half-smile at the thoughtfulness of her girlfriend.

Nicole momentarily mirrored her expression, brown eyes softening. But the light in them was soon replaced by steely determination, and the Officer continued.

“So then, Tucker told me that he had set the whole thing up, the call and everything just so he could talk to me. He said…” Nicole trailed off, preparing to repeat the words she had heard this morning. 

Features contorting in pain, the redhead continued. “Basically he said that I was corrupting you, that I was wrong for you. He told me that I was a disease, an abomination. That I was unnatural, that my actions went against God because He created men to be with women, and anything else was deviant, sinful. He said…I needed to be taken care of. _Eradicated_. And once I was gone, you and him could be together,” the Officer confessed, waves of nausea rolling through her at the admission.

Those words had been hard to hear from Tucker. Words she, sadly, had heard before, in some shape or form, from people she had considered family and friends. But now, repeating them to Waverly, they became infinitely more powerful, more hurtful.

“Oh baby…look at me,” the florist said, momentarily checking her anger in favor of ensuring her girlfriend hadn’t believed a word Tucker had said.

She knew that Nicole had been through a lot when it came to her sexuality. She had faced harassment, ridicule, and discrimination. Even from those whose should have loved her and accepted her. Waverly knew this had damaged her, had cut Nicole deeply. And her wounds still hadn’t healed, all these years later. She still walked around with those demons, constantly haunted by them.

So the brunette did what she always did when the fears surfaced and the doubts ran wild. She reminded her girlfriend how amazing she was, and how much she loved her.

“You look at me right now, Nicole Haught, and you listen to me.”

Seeing Nicole’s eyes shoot to hers, she said, “What Tucker said to you…those things were awful. And they were completely untrue. Baby…you are _not_ an abomination and you are _not_ corrupting me against my will. You are wonderful. You are kind. You are selfless. You are _enough_. When Tucker, when Stephanie Jones, hell, even when your parents judge you or reject you, it isn’t actually about you. It’s about them and their own insecurities and limitations. Your worth is not contingent upon other’s acceptance of you. Your worth is something inherent, something you’ve always had and something you always will have. You exist, and therefore, you matter. So hear me when I say this: Nicole, you are _enough_. I love you, and there’s no way what I feel for you can be anything but good and perfect.”

Tears gathered in the corners of chocolate brown eyes and a watery smile played across the Officer’s lips. Gratitude quickly replaced the shame that had been running rampant through her, poisoning her thoughts.

Niocle was grateful for Waverly every day, but right now, her appreciation reached new heights. No one had ever made her feel like enough before. But here the florist was, sitting at her bedside, convincing her that she mattered. 

Moving her hand to cup Waverly’s cheek, the redhead stroked her thumb across the soft skin beneath her fingertips. “I love you too, baby. And…thank you, I really needed to hear that after…well after this morning.”

The Officer pulled on the brunette’s cheek, bringing her closer. “Now come here, I need to kiss you properly before I finish this up.”

Chuckling, the florist stood up from the chair and leaned over her girlfriend, placing her forehead against Nicole’s. Waverly lowered her mouth, lips whispering across the Officer’s parted ones in the softest of kisses. 

Not satisfied with the brief nature of the kiss, the redhead deepened it, tongue sneaking past the other woman’s lips. Waverly moaned at the feeling of Nicole’s tongue teasing her own, allowing herself temporarily to get lost in the feeling of the woman beneath her.

Despite how good and _right_ it felt, the florist knew now wasn’t the time to get carried away. So she slowed her kisses, trying to cool the blazing fire within. The redhead seemed to get the hint and pulled away after a final chaste kiss, breathing heavily.

Waverly leaned back just out of reach, bringing up one of her hands to move some of Nicole’s matted hair off her forehead and out of her face. Placing one final kiss on the Officer’s upturned mouth, the florist sat back down, scooting the chair as close to the bed as possible. She left one hand resting on the redhead’s arm, the other one tracing patterns on Nicole’s open palm.

“I swear, your kisses work better than any of the pain medication they gave me,” the Officer joked in an effort to preserve the happiness of the moment, knowing she still hadn’t gotten to the worst of the story yet.

The brunette giggled in response. “You are such a dork, baby.”

Tilting her head to the side, the redhead replied, “Yeah, but I’m your dork, so I guess I can live with that.”

Waverly beamed at her, her head shaking slightly in amusement.

As unwilling as Nicole was to remove the smile from her girlfriend’s face, she knew she needed to continue the story. Her face fell with the knowledge and she leaned her head back against the pillow, dejectedly.

“So anyways…Tucker seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He knew what to say, what buttons to press, to get me to move out from behind the protection of the cruiser. He tried to get me to shoot him at one point, but I told him I wouldn’t, despite how much I may have wanted to,” Nicole added darkly. “And then, before I even knew what was happening, he shot me in the shoulder. The force of it knocked me to the ground, knocked the gun out of my hands. I remember I tried to get up but he kicked me back to the ground, stepping on my shoulder to hold me down.”

The Officer winced, remembering the burning sensation, the pain.

“I reached for my gun, but he kicked it away and told me that I had lost, that you were his. And the way he said it, like you belonged to him, like you were his property,” Nicole spat, disgusted at the words leaving her mouth, “well I couldn’t _not_ say something. So I may have told him that no matter what he did to me, you would never be his. And then…he called me a liar and pointed the gun at my head." 

The memory of the barrel aimed between her eyes evoked a shudder from the redhead, a worried look from the brunette.

“And I begged him not to, and for some reason he listened. Maybe he thought killing me then wasn’t going to cause me the most pain. And I could barely be thankful about that before he lowered the shotgun and fired a shot at my vest.”

Waverly sucked in a shocked breath, eyes widening at the admission.

“I…I seriously thought I was going to die, Waves. And I don’t say that to scare you or anything. I just…I was lying there, sure that…that was it. And I was so _mad_ because I didn’t get to tell you that I loved you one last time. I was never going to be able to see you smile again. I was never going to hear you sing in the shower, or see you dance around the kitchen again. And I was mad because there are so many things I still want to do with you. Our story isn’t even close to done yet, Waves…So I just _need_ you to know, now. That at, what I thought was the end, my mind went to you and our life together,” the Officer admitted, eyes darting between Waverly’s.

A single tear escaped the florist’s eye, falling down her cheek, leaving a damp trail in its wake. Waverly bit her lip to try and keep her emotions in check, fingers stilling in Nicole’s open palm. She slowly intertwined their fingers and brought their clasped hands up to her cheek. Resting her face against the back of the Officer’s hand, Waverly let out a shuddery breath.

“God, Nicole. I don’t even know what to say…other than I love you, so damn much. And I am so so glad you’re okay, because…you’re right. Our story is far from over.”

Nicole nodded, a content smile slowly spreading across her face at Waverly’s words. Deciding it was time to conclude her story, she murmured, “Alright let me finish this up so we can move onto happier things, okay?”

With a go-ahead from Waverly, the Officer said, “So after that, Nedley got there and called a bus. I guess I passed out right after he showed up, and when I woke up, I was in this bed, and you had just walked through the door, looking as beautiful as ever.”

Seeming to ignore the sweet compliment, Waverly’s brow furrowed as fury ignited within her. “But what about that shit-ticket, Tucker? You know what, I ought to-”

Nicole was quick to interrupt, to douse the florist’s anger. “Waverly…he’s…he’s gone. Nedley shot him. He can’t hurt us anymore.”

Waverly couldn’t help her deep sigh of relief. Part of her wanted to feel bad, for being happy that a man was dead. She wanted to believe she was an empathetic person, moved by the loss of any kind of life, human or otherwise. But all she felt was peace, knowing the person who had almost taken away Nicole, was gone.

“Good,” the brunette declared, resolutely.

A wave of exhaustion suddenly hit Nicole. She felt extremely worn out from the events of the morning and having to relive them all with Waverly. She let her head sink further back into the pillow, a fatigued sigh escaping her lips.

“Baby, is it okay if I…”

Smiling at the Officer, Waverly interrupted, “Oh yeah, of course! Get some rest, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

In a small voice, Nicole asked, “Promise?”

“I promise.”

\--End Chapter 2--

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowza, I’m in need of a feel-good Disney movie now. Maybe I’ll go watch Tangled or something...
> 
> So that was beyond emotional and difficult to write, but I’m glad I did. It just felt like a necessary conversation and an experience those two would feasibly go through. 
> 
> Next chapter is pure fluff I PROMISE!!!
> 
> I will post that on Friday, so stay tuned Earpers :)
> 
> xoxo


	3. “Wherever you go, if my heart was a house you’d be home…”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “One week later, Nicole was still in the hospital.
> 
> And to say that she was bored was the understatement of the century. Waverly had brought her a stack of books and crosswords the very first night. But by the fourth day of strict bed rest, the Officer had plowed through all of the crosswords, James Patterson’s, and Agatha Christie’s. 
> 
> She had even restored to flipping through Waverly’s personal copy of The Language of Flowers the brunette had brought for herself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After two chapters of drama, I am ready for some fluff and I’m sure you all are too!
> 
> FINALLY we get to the big ask and the floral tradition!!
> 
> I’ve been enjoying listening to music while I write. So if you are curious, here are the songs I listened to while crafting this final chapter:  
> -Easy by Chelsea Lankes  
> -I Believe You by Fletcher  
> -No Vacancy by Rhys  
> And last but not least  
> -I Know A Place (Acoustic) by MUNA
> 
> I hope you all enjoy the third and final installment of Part VI! :)

** Chapter 3: “Wherever you go, if my heart was a house you’d be home…” **

One week later, Nicole was still in the hospital.

And to say that she was bored was the understatement of the century. Waverly had brought her a stack of books and crosswords the very first night. But by the fourth day of strict bed rest, the Officer had plowed through all of the crosswords, James Patterson’s, and Agatha Christie’s.

She had even restored to flipping through Waverly’s personal copy of _The Language of Flowers_ the brunette had brought for herself. 

When the florist offered to bring them all home with her and return the following day with some more, Nicole had readily agreed. But, she had shyly asked if she could keep Waverly’s book, saying she really enjoyed reading it and learning more about the florist’s passion.

 _Swoon_.

But no matter how much the brunette enjoyed her days spent with Nicole, basking in the fact that they were both alive and _here_ , their time together would always come to an end. Staying past visiting hours was the one thing Waverly couldn’t convince Nancy, the night nurse, to let her do. Bring Calamity Jane by for a visit? Sure. But stay past 8 PM in Nicole’s room? No way. 

So, every night, Nancy would come and send her out of Nicole’s room, unaccompanied and unhappy. And every night, like clockwork, the florist would press a kiss to the Officer’s forehead and begrudgingly leave her side, wishing for nothing more than to stay and fall asleep in her arms.

She would then drive to Nicole’s apartment alone, but wishing she wasn’t. She would feed Calamity Jane and busy herself tidying up the place, keeping it clean for the redhead’s return. And when the exhaustion of the day finally caught up to her, Waverly would curl up in Nicole’s bed, face pressed into the Officer’s pillow.

And if she shut her eyes tightly and pretended, if she wished hard enough, she could fall asleep, imagining that Nicole was there with her.

\--

On the morning of the 8th day of Nicole’s hospital stay, Waverly had an epiphany.

She had just opened the door to the redhead’s room, one hand clutching a drink holder with two coffees, the other gripping the door handle. The florist’s gaze fell upon her girlfriend: knees bent, right arm in a sling, flipping through the pages of _The Language of Flowers_.

For the millionth time that week, Waverly was struck with the though that she had almost lost _this_. This wonderful woman who had shown her what love truly was, who made her the happiest she’s ever been. This relationship that had helped her grow and become the best version of herself.

But that wasn’t her monumental insight. 

In that moment, Waverly realized something much bigger than that. She realized that here, right before her eyes, was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life waking up next to. The person she always wanted to come home to. And the thought of that, a future with Nicole, it wasn’t scary. In fact, it was comforting and exciting. 

As she watched Nicole flip to the next page, she was overcome with such an intense feeling of love for the redhead that a small, blissful sigh escaped her lips.

Seeing the focus and delight on her girlfriend’s face as she read, prompted Waverly’s mind to wander, going over all of the possibilities for their future. The florist began to daydream, to picture their life together, in vivid detail.

They would move in together.

Maybe they would move into the Homestead, or into Nicole’s apartment for a period of time. But one day, they would buy a fixer upper on the outskirts of town, on a large piece of land. Nicole would don her tool belt and flannel, Waverly would put on her faded overalls and red bandana, and they would get to work. They would make it the kind of house they wanted, with a porch swing and a white picket fence. And when they were done, they would pull an Ellie and Carl and put their handprints on their mailbox. And their home would be perfect, because they built it. 

They would have a small wedding.

She would wear a long-sleeved white dress, a flower crown placed atop her cascading brunette waves. Nicole would wear a suit, because _of course she would_. They would get married in the spring, with bunches of sunflowers and greenery as decorations. They would be surrounded by a handful family and friends. And it would be one of the happiest days of their lives.

They would have a couple of children.

Maybe Waverly would carry them, not just because of the danger of Nicole’s job, but because she wanted to. They would argue over baby names and what colors to paint the nursery. Or maybe they would adopt, because there are so many children out there who need good, loving homes. And despite everything, despite all of their fears, they would be amazing parents.

They would grow old together. In the house they built, from the ground up. In the house they raised their family in. In the house that would be their home.

_Their home._

Floored, Waverly realized she wanted nothing more in the whole world than to have that all come true. She wanted to live with Nicole, she wanted to marry Nicole, she wanted kids with Nicole. And she wanted it to start right now.

Nicole’s voice broke the florist out of her thoughts. “Yoohoo, Waves! You in there?”

With a startled shake of her head, Waverly focused back in on her girlfriend. Apparently while she had been standing in the doorway, lost in her musings, Nicole had been trying to get her attention.

With a sheepish grin on her face, the brunette closed the door behind her and flitted into the room. She placed the coffees down on the bedside table and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on the Officer’s lips.

“Sorry, just got a lot on my mind I guess.” 

Cocking an eyebrow and tilting her head, Nicole eyed the florist. “Anything you want to share with the class? I mean, I may not be able to do much right now, but I can at least listen and try to help,” the Officer grumbled, clearly frustrated with her slow healing process. 

Sudden inspiration struck as Waverly glanced down at the book in Nicole’s hands. 

“You wanna help, baby?”

Nodding enthusiastically, the redhead scooted over in bed, making room for her girlfriend. She patted the spot next to her with her free hand, a gleeful smile on her face. Waverly was quick to accept the offer, jumping up onto the bed, careful not to jostle Nicole too much. The redhead might be over a week into her recovery, but she knew the Officer was in more pain than she was letting on.

“Alright, Waves, what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”

The brunette half-turned her body, bending her knee and tucking one leg underneath the other. She clasped her hands in her lap and gazed at Nicole.

“I was just thinking…I almost lost you,” Waverly began. At the immediate guilt and pain that flashed across the redhead’s face, the florist was quick to reach over and take Nicole’s hand in her own, tangling their fingers together.

“Oh baby, I don’t say that to make you feel bad. I just…knowing that _this_ -” Waverly said, gesturing with her free hand to point between them, “-was almost taken away from us, before we even really got started…well it’s, it’s…just not fair, you know?”

The redhead nodded in response as she slowly traced her thumb across the back of Waverly’s hand, waiting for her to continue.

“And…do you know what I do when I leave here every night?” the brunette asked. 

Nicole’s brow furrowed in confusion and she replied, “What?” 

“I drive to your apartment.”

The Officer’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, her mouth flopping open as a bemused expression overtook her features. But before she could question it, Waverly was rambling on.

“And I lay alone in your bed and I just…I wish you were with me, Nicole. I’m finding it harder and harder to be without you. I want to spend my days with you and my nights with you...Life is too short to put off doing that any longer. So I need to ask you something really important, but I need you to do something for me first.”

Eyes crinkling, curiosity shinning within them, Nicole responded, “Okay…what is it, baby?”

Nodding at the book in the Officer’s lap, the florist said, “Would you look up daffodils, please?”

“Uhh, what?”

With a small chuckle at the redhead’s adorably confused expression, Waverly tried again. “Humor me, Nicole. Please…just, look up daffodils in my book?”

Despite her bewilderment, the redhead decided to do just that, and removed her hand from Waverly’s. She then began to diligently flip through the pages one-handedly, as her other one was still trapped in the sling.

“Daffodil…daffodil…daffodil…oh here it is!”

Waverly gazed on, charmed, as her girlfriend excitedly read aloud. “So the daffodil is a small flower, with a long green stem, and petals fanning out in a circle. It can be yellow, orange, or white in color...and it stands for ‘The Sun is always shinning when I’m with you’.” 

“Thanks, baby! Now can you look up a fern?”

“Hmm…okay…so a fern is a collection of pointed green leaves and small white blossoms. It represents shelter.”

Nodding, Waverly asked for the next one. “And umm…what about a flax?”

Scanning down the same page, Nicole found it easily. “A flax is a blue flower with a yellow center. It is commonly known as a domestic symbol.”

“Mhmm, that’s right. Okay last one, would you look up a primrose for me?”

Nodding, Nicole flipped through the book, finally reaching the right page. “Okay so the primrose is a circular-shaped flower that comes in a variety of different colors. It means ‘I can’t live without you’.” 

Looking up from the book, the Officer eyed her girlfriend and raised her brow expectantly, waiting for Waverly to jump in. 

“Okay…so, first of all, thank you for humoring me,” the florist said, hand squeezing Nicole’s knee. Waverly leaned forward to place a gentle kiss to the tip of the redhead’s nose, causing Nicole’s face to scrunch up adorably.

“Second of all…although I don’t have the actual flowers to give you, there was a point to all of this. All of these flowers mean something different, but they basically say the same thing: I want to be with you, today and always-”

A slow smile had begun to break out across the Officer’s face as she interrupted the florist. “Oh baby I want that too! I want…I want it all with you!” Nicole exclaimed. “So, do you want to-”

A dramatically arched eyebrow and a pout from Waverly stopped Nicole from finishing her question.

“Baby...I love you, but you have a really bad habit of interrupting me when I’m trying to be romantic and ask you stuff. So would you please shut that pretty mouth of yours for a second so I can finish?”

The Officer blushed a deep crimson, ducking her head sheepishly. “Sorry…”

“It’s a good thing you’re cute,” Waverly replied, throwing the redhead’s words back at her with a saucy wink. 

“So as I was saying…Nicole Haught, will you-will you move in with me? I don’t care if we move into the Homestead or if we move into your apartment. All I know is that, in light of recent events, I never want to spend another day without you by my side. I love you and I want to live with you. I want to have a side of the bed. I want to have disagreements about how best to load the dishwasher. I want the quiet breakfasts where we are both too sleepy to talk, but we sip our coffee in comfortable silence. I want the evenings where we cook dinner together, or get take out, and settle in to watch Planet Earth or the newest episode of _One Day at a Time_. I want the good times and the bad, and all the moments in between. I want all of that, with you. So…Nicole, will you move in with me?”

A goofy grin made it's way onto the Officer’s face as her free hand came up to cup Waverly’s cheek. “Oh, baby…I want nothing more than to move in with you.”

Overcome with emotion, Waverly surged up to capture the redhead’s lips with her own.

Momentarily forgetting the injured-condition of her girlfriend, she swung a leg over Nicole’s hips to straddle her, knocking the book off of the bed. But it seemed like the Officer forgot as well, as she responded to the florist with fervor. Their mouths moved against each other in a practiced dance, as hands wandered.

But an ill-placed touch by the brunette elicited a pained hiss from Nicole, causing the redhead to pull back sharply.

“Agh, sorry, baby. I’m still a little tender.”

Waverly leaned back guiltily, putting distance between them, coming to rest against the tops of the Officer’s bent legs. 

“My poor, brave baby,” she cooed, hands tracing patterns across the redhead’s hospital gown-covered hips. 

Nicole closed her eyes and tilted her head back on her pillow, getting lost in the feeling of Waverly’s hands on her body. After a few silent moments, she opened her eyes, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she decided to tease the florist a little.

“So Waves…the sun only shines when you’re with me, huh?” the redhead asked, eyes filled with mirth.

Tilting forward, Waverly good-naturedly grumbled, “Oh, shut up,” as she placed her lips once more on Nicole’s, effectively silencing any more of her playful quips.

\--

When push came to shove, they decided to move into the Homestead.

It took a lot longer than they thought it would, with Nicole having one good arm and requiring multiple breaks. But by the end of the week, all of the Officer’s navy blue button ups, most of her true crime novels, and even her well-loved acoustic guitar had been moved from her apartment into the Homestead.

That night, after a simple meal of pizza and beer, the two women lay together, snuggled up in _their_ bed.

Nicole was blissfully close to sleep, when a voice stirred her back to consciousness. 

“Nicole…you awake?”

Yawning loudly, the redhead blinked her eyes open. “Mhm, y’ah tot’ly. W'de aw’ke.”

Shaking her head in amusement at the blatant lie, Waverly responded, “Sure you are, baby. I just…I wanted to say that I love you, and I’m really glad that you wanted to move in together.”

Nicole could hear the shy happiness and underlying gratitude in Waverly’s voice. And despite only being half-awake, she found herself melting in response, grinning like the love-struck fool she was. 

“Oh, Waves, I love you too, and I want to do everything with you. This is just another part of our story…and I for one can’t wait to see what we do next.”

Burrowing deeper under the redhead’s good arm, Waverly nuzzled the soft skin above Nicole’s collarbone, letting out a contented sigh. “Mmmm, I like the sound of that...Alright go back to sleep, sweetie pie. You need your rest so we can get back to doing ‘everything’,” Waverly purred, insinuation coloring her tone.

Before the Officer could reply, she added, “And by ‘everything’, I mean you playing that guitar for me. Because, damn baby! You…plus that guitar…mmm sounds totally amazeballs!”

With a breathy laugh, the Officer pulled the brunette closer, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her head.

“Whatever you want, Waves. I love you baby, good night,” Nicole whispered, already drifting back off to sleep, a peaceful smile on her face.

That night she dreamed of sunflowers, Waverly in a white dress, and the small, velvet box newly hidden in a shoebox underneath the bed.

\--End Chapter 3--

Flowers in this chapter and their meanings:

-Daffodil: ‘The Sun is always shinning when I’m with you’

Source of photo: http://www.flowermeaning.com/daffodil-flower-meaning/

 

-Fern: Shelter

Source of photo: http://www.plantsrescue.com/tag/brides-bouquet-fern/

 

-Flax: Domestic Symbol

Source of photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flax_flowers.jpg

 

-Primrose: ‘I can’t live without you’

Source of photo: https://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/perennials/primrose.html

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y’all enjoyed the final chapter of Part VI :)
> 
> Even though we didn’t get the physical flowers, our wonderful Waverly still managed to fall back on their tradition to ask her girlfriend to move in! Swoon!
> 
> In reference to the timeline, I saw this whole thing happening about 7ish months into their relationship! 
> 
> So the next part is the final installment in the series *cue the violins and my ugly crying*  
> I’m definitely in denial that I’ve reached the end of this journey, but I’m thankful you have all joined me on it and have enjoyed it as much as I have :)
> 
> So anyways, stay tuned for the two chapters next week that make up Part VII “How do I say ‘Will you marry me?’ in flower?” !!!
> 
> ‘Til then Earpers xoxo


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